Morris Claiborne says late penalty that doomed Jets against the Texans was a bad call

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Texans at Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Saturday, December 15, 2018. J #25 Elijah McGuire avoids a tackle by T #55 Benardrick McKinney in the first quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com

Texans at Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Saturday, December 15, 2018. J #19 Andre Roberts celebrates with #10 Jermaine Kearse after making a catch for a touchdown in the third quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com

Texans at Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Saturday, December 15, 2018. T #4 QB Deshaun Watson celebrates after throwing for a touchdown in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, left, makes a touchdown catch on a pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson, not pictured, as New York Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne (21) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Texans won 29-22.(Photo: Bill Kostroun, AP)

EAST RUTHERFORD -- For a moment late in the fourth quarter, it looked as if the Jets just might have done enough to beat the Texans.

They had a three-point lead and Deshaun Watson's third-down pass to DeAndre Hopkins had fallen harmlessly to the turf at MetLife Stadium. The Texans were about to face fourth-and-4 from midfield. But then the flag came out.

Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne was called for holding. The Texans got a first down and then turned it into the go-ahead touchdown in a 29-22 win over the Jets.

It's bad enough to take a penalty that costly. But Claiborne said it was worse because he didn't believe it should be a penalty.

"It hurt because it's ball game," Claiborne said. "That's how I feed my family, and when you make calls like that, you mess that up for me."

At first glance of the replay, it looked as if Claiborne was grabbing Hopkins. But as the play developed, it became clear that both players were grabbing at each other. The flag came in after the ball sailed high over Hopkins' head and hit the ground.

Claiborne, who appears to have a legitimate gripe, said he didn't think it was a penalty.

"Not at all," Claiborne said. "I was just running, I got my head around, his hand was on me and it was like we were holding hands. He was on me and I was on him. Period. Point blank. We both turned around and looked at the ball. And on top of that, I felt like the ball was uncatchable anyway. It was thrown so high."

Claiborne also gave up the game-winning touchdown to Hopkins a few moments later. But he didn't feel bad about that one, and rightfully so. He covered Hopkins well, but some how the big receiver came down with the 14-yard touchdown grab.

"I feel like you don’t cover it better than that," Claiborne said. "You get perfect coverage like that, from the line of scrimmage all the way to the end zone and guys come up with those type of balls, you take your hat off to them. I told him getting up off the ground, ‘Hey man, that was a good catch.'"

Bad misses

Kicker Jason Myers has been brilliant for the Jets this season. But he missed two extra points Saturday for the Jets, and they were costly.

With the Jets trailing 16-9 late in the second quarter, Myers sailed the extra point wide right. On the Jets next touchdown, midway through the third quarter, Darnold missed the extra point wide left. Instead of being up 17-16 the Jets trailed 16-15.

"The first one I pushed a little bit," Myers said. "The second one, I thought i hit it good but it just kind of fell left on me."

AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

Myers became the first kicker in NFL history to make five kicks of beyond 55 yards in a single season. After making a 26-yard field goal Saturday, Myers is now 31 of 33 on the season. But he's now 24 of 27 on extra points -- yes, he's missed more extra points than field goals.

The misses had a big impact on the game. Instead of the Jets needing a field goal to win on a drive in the final minutes if he had made both the extra points, or a field goal to tie if he had made one of them, they needed a touchdown. They did not get it.

Key injury

Starting right tackle Brandon Shell suffered what appeared to be a serious left knee injury in the third quarter. Teammate Brian Winters appeared to be pushed into Shell’s left leg, which bent awkwardly.

It was obvious that Shell was in considerable pain immediately after the injury, and the cart quickly came out for him. Shell had to be helped up and onto the cart. He didn’t put any weight on his left leg. Players from both teams surrounded the cart as Shell was taken to the locker room.

Bowles said Shell will have an MRI on the knee on Sunday.

Shell, a 2016 fifth-round pick out of South Carolina, started 34 games for the Jets over the last three seasons including the first 14 games this year.